is easy to use, but items won't be flexible as they are with the contact paper

to use the laminating sheets just cut all your items first

slide the items up in the laminating sheet

until they just touch the top edge.

Make sure items do not overlap

close the laminating sheet

and feed it into the machine,

wait until it completely comes out the back of the machine

and that's it. Make sure you clean your machine

once in a while feeding a plain paper through it.

Another method of laminating is with wax paper

I haven't try this one, but here is what ehow.com

says about it:

Step 1Tear off two sheets of wax paper 3 or 4 inches larger all the way around than the item that you want to laminate. The items to be laminated should be flat, such as a paper document, a card or a leaf.

Step 2Center the item between the two sheets of wax paper.

Step 3Lay a thin cloth on an ironing board and spread it out to remove any wrinkles. A thin kitchen towel works well for this purpose, as do pillowcases or cloth table napkins.

Step 4Place the item, which is now centered between the wax paper sheets, on the cloth.

Step 5Spread the second thin cloth on top of item.

Step 6Press the warm iron down on top of the thin cloth. Move it back and forth slowly and smoothly for several minutes to allow the wax paper to melt together to encase object between the two wax sheets. Let the ironed items cool off for several minutes.

Step 7Trim around the edges of the laminated object, leaving at least a half inch of wax paper around the edges.

We purchased a Duck laminating Machine about 3 years ago from Walmart for the same price. I use it for laminating pieces for file folder games, pocket chart cards, and other activities. I don't use it as much for homeschool preschool hands on activities because sometimes my little one has difficulty picking up a laminated card off the table.

I do like having it because it helps items last longer. I have file folder games that I made years ago for my oldest that I can now use with my youngest.

Thank for posting the information on laminating with wax paper, I did not know you could do that.